The Family Gathering. Robyn Carr

Published:MIRA
Date:  17th April 2018
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 352
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Little Bird Publicity and NetGalley
Rating:
          

Having left the military, Dakota Jones is at a crossroads in his life. With his older brother and youngest sister happily settled in Sullivan’s Crossing, he shows up hoping to clear his head before moving on to his next adventure. But, like every visitor to the Crossing, he’s immediately drawn to the down-to-earth people and the seemingly simple way of life.

Dakota is unprepared for how quickly things get complicated. As a newcomer, he is on everyone’s radar—especially the single women in town. While he enjoys the attention at first, he’s really only attracted to the one woman who isn’t interested. And spending quality time with his siblings is eye-opening. As he gets to know them, he also gets to know himself and what he truly wants.

When all of the Jones siblings gather for a family wedding, the four adults are drawn together for the first time in a way they never were as children. As they struggle to accept each other, warts and all, the true nature and strength of their bond is tested. But all of them come to realize that your family are the people who see you for who you really are and love you anyway. And for Dakota, that truth allows him to find the home and family he’s always wanted.

Every so often I look forward to reading a certain book and then feel a little let down when I read it.  Not so with The Family Gathering, #3 in Robyn Carr's Sullivan's Crossing. I love, love, loved every word of it.

I've come to love this little community and the spirit that exists among them.  And I really looked forward to brother Dakota's story and it was everything that I wanted and more. Yes more! Because we had updates of Maggie and Cal and little Elizabeth. We saw Sully from time to time, and Connie and Sierra's story is furthered and in such a way that had my heart hurting and hoping at the same time.  And then the last sister Sedona - what a story for her too. Such a strong sense of family and community - my kind of read.

If that all sounds like you couldn't read this one without reading the previous two books - well you could because Robyn Carr does fill you in a unobtrusive way. However I am so happy to have followed the story from the beginning.

As soon as Dakota arrives and finds himself a little cabin in the woods I was hooked. Made me remember such a cabin in the Virgin River series.  I loved how he talks straight and tells people (women mostly) where he's at with them or not as the case may be.  I loved Sid too, she's had a knock back but in reality she is a very intelligent and strong woman. 

All the characters have such interesting back stories and it impinges on their lives now. This is not just some light romance, this is a story about people - their highs and lows and struggles. And their ultimate arrival on the path to redemption. And of course there is romance and in such a perfect way. 

I loved all the characters, Robyn Carr even includes the perfect nun, plus the oddest character around, we've met her in previous books and she is every bit as weird in this one, but has she finally met her match?

If you are a Robyn Carr fan this one is certainly for you. If you like a heart warming and emotional read, great characters and plenty to keep you involved in the plot then I say .... read it!

The Summer That Made Us. Robyn Carr

Published:Harlequin - MIRA
Date: 5th September 2017
Format: e-ARC
Pages:  336
Genre: Mainstream Fiction
Source: Publisher and Little Bird Publicity
Rating:
                   

For the Hempsteads, two sisters who married two brothers and had three daughters each, summers were idyllic. The women would escape the city the moment school was out to gather at the family house on Lake Waseka. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything. This is now...  Torn apart, none of the Hempstead women speak of what happened that summer, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.

As always Robyn Carr has written a well crafted story that fully engaged me all through the book The Summer That Made Us.  It has many threads to it, many issues and themes that ebb and flow as the story unfolds.

This is a story about relationships mostly - that of sisters and cousins, plus some of the people that surround them. As it starts out it is rather obvious that you could put a capital D on dysfunctional for many but not all of the family members.

There is Lou and Jo, two sisters - once such good friends, now estranged. Two families who grew up close to each other, spending time as children at a lake house in Minnesota. Two families of thre girls each. However one summer everything turned to ruin and they never went back...

Until Meg wants to go back to that house. She is dealing with cancer, she has had her last ditch treatment and it is time to see will it work... or not. Charlie her sister wants to make that happen for her and does so. As Charlie begins her renovations there, her cousin Krista turns up, just out of prison.  We are also introduced to Hope, Krista's sister and all is not right in the state of Denmark for sure in her life. 

We see things from all their points of view which does help  me the reader be sympathetic towards them and to wish the best for them. I am not always engaged by so many characters in one book with issues and things to deal with. But the fact that they are all related and have been affected by the same family dynamics and tragedy, pulled me in. It perhaps lost a little though in the focus being on so many, not much, just a tad, it left me feeling a little distant from the full emotion of the characters.

Each woman grapples with her own life, moving towards resolution, new hope, forgiveness and healing in various forms as the story is retold and understood.  Another well told story from Robyn Carr.

Robyn Carr is an award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River and Thunder Point series, as well as highly praised women’s fiction titles such as Four Friends, What We Find, and The Life She Wants. Robyn has won a RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America, and in 2016 she was awarded RWA’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the genre. Her novels have been translated into 19 languages in 30 countries. Originally from Minnesota, Robyn now resides in Henderson, Nevada, with her aviator husband; they have two grown children. When she isn’t writing, Robyn puts her energy into community service: she has mentored a seniors’ memoir-writing group, attends book club chats in and out of state whenever possible, and is working with her local library on the Carr Chat Series, a program centered on fundraising and visiting author events that bring writers, their books, and the community together.

Any Day Now. Robyn Carr

Published: MIRA
Date: April 18th 2017
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 336
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Rating:
              

For Sierra Jones, Sullivan's Crossing is meant to be a brief stopover. She's put her troubled past behind her but the path forward isn't yet clear. A visit with her big brother Cal and his new bride, Maggie, seems to be the best option to help her get back on her feet.

Not wanting to burden or depend on anyone, Sierra is surprised to find the Crossing offers so much more than a place to rest her head. Cal and Maggie welcome her into their busy lives and she quickly finds herself bonding with Sully, the quirky campground owner who is the father figure she's always wanted. But when her past catches up with her, it's a special man and an adorable puppy who give her the strength to face the truth and fight for a brighter future.

Any Day Now by Robyn Carr is #2 in her Sullivan's Crossing series.  It could be read as a stand alone, however why miss out on the first one and the great story of Cal and Maggie?

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Sierra, sister of Cal. She has had a very rough road to hoe, but when faced with very severe challenges those with power and strength show what they are made of. Not necessarily that Sierra would see herself as a strong kickass kinda gal, but she does have inner strength, and a group of people around her who care and are there for her. She faces into her life, makes amends for past misdemeanours and is an all round great model for a young girl who just might make an appearance before too long.

Connie is the firefighter, paramedic who is soon attracted to Sierra and Molly - you'll have to read the book to find out who Molly is. Just let's say she is adorable and just might have a thing going with Connie. 

I loved that we met up with the characters from book one and saw their lives as they moved on from where we left them last. It was especially great to check in with Sully, Maggie's grandfather and Tom a local divorcee who realises there just might be more happiness in his future than he first thought.

I loved the little quotes from various well known people at the beginning of each chapter, little messages that can apply to life and in particular to what was about to happen next in the plot.

Another heartwarming, delightful story from Robyn Carr, with enough tension and drama to have me flipping the pages as fast as I could. Already looking forward to the next one in the series.

Blog Tour: The Life She Wants. Q&A with Robyn Carr and Review

Published: Mira
Date: September 27th 2016
Format: e-Arc
Pages: 368
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Rating:
             

After the scandal of her husband's Ponzi scheme breaks, main character Emma Shay decides to return home to California to try and rebuild her life<

Shunned by everyone who knows her and with little family to speak of, her ex-best friend is the only person willing to give her a job—cleaning houses. Emma, who not long ago employed a full housekeeping staff in her Manhattan penthouse, is now doing the cleaning and trying to clean up her own messes at the same time.

As she navigates the mistakes of her past and tries to find redemption in a new relationship, Emma realizes that it's up to her to create the life she wants.

Question and Answers with Robyn Carr

Q: The book opens with Emma Shay moving back home to California from New York after her financier husband is revealed to be running a massive Ponzi scheme and commits suicide. How much was the premise of this book inspired by the Bernie Madoff scandal, and what kind of research did writing this story involve?

A:  I asked myself, what would it be like to be Mrs. Madoff?  So of course I had to read about it – it turned out to be much more sordid and shameful in Bernie’s case than anything I had imagined.  I wanted to create a character who was every bit as victimized as her late husband’s clients and that character was Emma.  But the story was more about a relationship between two thirty-five year old women whose friendship fell apart when they were young.  The question is – how does Emma repair all the damage she suffered when she married a crook?

Q: On the surface, it seems like Emma Shay had the life that a lot of people would want—a rich husband, a beautiful home, expensive clothes, a full household staff. But we soon learn that her life was not the fairytale it appeared to be. What made you want to explore the darker side of that kind of monetary and material wealth, and what do you think it actually means to have a “rich life?”

A:  Money can be fun but it’s a tool, nothing more.  There are so many wise sayings that apply – “It is a wealthy man who knows he has enough.”  Or one of my favorites, “If you marry for money you’ll earn every dime.”  Why?  Because money is a convenient tool but the love of money is soulless.  When Emma is finally free of the burdens and complications of wealth, when she earns her money and simplifies her life she feels richer.

I think one has a rich life when one has people who love her, friends and hopefully family, or at least the family one collects, when one has health and a positive outlook on life.  Some of the happiest people I’ve known didn’t have much material wealth.  Real wealth comes from knowing who you can depend on, who you can trust, who will be there for you when you need someone – maybe just to talk.  

I know that billionaire romances are very popular but I’ve never been enamored of them.  I find the problems of the incredibly rich to be boring and lifeless.  There’s joy in challenge and I take pride in hard work.  In a job well done.  People are not important to me if they’ve amassed wealth – they’re valuable to me if they’ve collected wisdom.  Professor Cornel West said he didn’t necessarily admire intelligence – Hitler was brilliant after all.  He admired wisdom.  

Q: The damaged friendship between Emma and Riley is one of the central relationships in this novel. After having written so many successful romantic love stories, what was different or challenging about building your story around a fraught, deeply complicated female friendship?

A:  I’m accustomed to writing “girlfriend books” that, from the beginning, have a very strong bond between the women, that the friends get each other through the tough times.  I wanted to know how it’s different when the bond has been broken but the tough times are present.  

You’ll find out what you’re made of when you go through a relationship crisis, when you feel scared and alone.  

Q: Another interesting relationship in the book is the one between Emma and Bethany, a teenage girl who lives in one of the houses she cleans. What made you want to explore that storyline?

A:   I think that on some level the people who clean houses do more than come into our homes, they come into our lives and see much more than we realize.  They enter our private lives, our most personal space.  They see how we live and what our values are.  In the case of Bethany, she appeared to be unloved and tragic and had no support and Emma, who had looked the other way when her husband was robbing his clients blind, could not look away from Bethany.  It showed the character of both Emma and Bethany and it was a turning point in Emma’s life.  

Q: We have to ask, what’s next for you? What are you working on right now?

A:  I’m at work on the second Sullivan’s Crossing novel, no title yet.  It should be ready soon and out the beginning of April 2017.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of Emma, money lost and having to start over, with everyone (well almost everyone) looking at her suspiciously and some hating upon her in foul ways. Her husband had unbeknown to her a ponzi scheme going and so many people lost their money.

When Emma returns home she finds it difficult to get a job because of all that has gone on. However one family and a few friends support her through the worst. So there you have it, good friendship and loving family. No wait! Its not Emma's family, they're as despicable as dirt, and her best friend and herself from way back have been in a huge "no speaking" situation for about fifteen years.

I am sure from time to time we all dream of wealth, what we'd do if we won that big lotto prize, but is wealth what makes us happy? That's the question Robyn Carr explores in this book, and the shows us what she thinks might make us happy, and I tend to agree with her.  Yikes I watched one reality "The Real Housewives of...." and was totally put off, no I don't want to live my life like that.  I want good friends, family and some challenges to keep me interested in life. 

Emma is strong, hard working and very compassionate and now in her mid thirties, is able to make decisions about what she thinks is right or wrong. Riley her estranged friend is rather similar, although she has a few hard edges to her that just need to be filed a tad, and they are. 

If you love a good second chance book with strong yet flawed characters then this just might be for you.

What We Find. Robyn Carr

Published: Harlequin
Date: 5th April 2016
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 352
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley & Little Bird Publicity
Rating:
                          

Between the urban bustle of Denver and the high-stress environment of a career in neurosurgery, Maggie Sullivan has hit a wall. When an emergency, high-risk procedure results in the death of a teenager, Maggie finds herself in the middle of a malpractice lawsuit—and experiencing levels of anxiety she's never faced before. It's in this desperate moment that Maggie's boyfriend decides he can't handle her emotional baggage, and she's left alone, exhausted and unsure of what her future holds. One thing is certain, though: she needs to slow down before she burns out completely, and the best place she can think to do that is Sullivan's Crossing.

Named for Maggie's great-grandfather, the land and charming general store at the crossroads of the Colorado and the Continental Divide trails have been passed down through the generations and now belong to Maggie's estranged father, Sully. Though raised by her mother and stepfather after her parents divorced, Maggie has always adored Sully—despite his hands-off approach to fatherhood. When she shows up unannounced in Sullivan's Crossing, he welcomes her with opens arms, and she relishes the opportunity to rebuild their relationship.

But when Sully has a sudden heart attack, Maggie's world is rocked once again. Consumed with his care, she's relieved to find that Cal Jones, a quiet and serious-looking camper, has been taking over many of Sully's responsibilities as he recuperates. Still, Maggie is suspicious of this mysterious man's eagerness to help—until she finds out the true reason for his deliberate isolation.

Though Cal and Maggie each struggle with loss and loneliness, the time they spend together gives Maggie hope for something brighter just on the horizon…if only they can learn to find peace and healing—and perhaps love—with each other.

What We Find is the first book in Robyn Carr's new Sullivan's Crossing series. Sullivan's Crossing is where Sully runs a campsite and where is daughter - neurosurgeon Maggie comes to escape a particularly stressful time, to regroup and examine her heart.

She meets up with Cal who is a bit of a mystery man - he too is taking time out and just being - to all intents and purposes an odd job man. Maggie has quite a bit of fun trying to find out about Cal and what his full name is - one she is actually not likely to guess. She wants to google him to find out about him! In the fullness of time of course she finds out it all.

Cal and Maggie are great people, and Maggie especially has parents that care for her and love her. In her exploration of herself and who she is, she has that brought home to her - how much they have loved and cared for her. Cal is a great influence, he is all about finding your purpose in life and doing 'what fills the well'. Indeed that is a theme that this book explores well. 

Another detail that grabbed my attention was the suit case against Maggie. A gifted surgeon put through hell because she had to make lightning decisions. I think my favourite part of this book was the judge's summing up of his decision. However Robyn Carr highlights both sides of the case and the grief of parents losing a child. 

I enjoyed the setting, the characters were believable and endearing and I definitely look forward to where the author will take this series next. Please RC give us a little more of Maggie and Cal while doing it!

Wildest Dreams. Robyn Carr

Wildest Dreams
Robyn Carr
Published: MIRA
Date: 25th August 2015
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley & Little Bird Publicity


Wildest Dreams is #9 in the Thunder Point series.  This one is the story of Lin Su and her son Charlie.  It also continues the story of Winnie, Grace and their family.  Blake Smiley is the triathlete who has arrived next door, we met him briefly in the previous book. Now he is in Thunder Point permanently.

Lin Su is the nurse to Winnie and an excellent one.  She is a great mother to Charlie, but just somewhat over protective and controlling. He is fourteen and beginning to want a little more independence. Charlie was a character I loved, he was so caring and respectful towards his mother, but also ready to spread his wings a little. Lin Su has had a very challenging time since she became pregnant with Charlie. She is gritty and feisty, but a little proud and unbending. I loved all the growth and development for Lin Su as the story evolved.

Blake is a talented athlete and he and Charlie bond, Charlie admires him and they form a very understanding relationship. However Lin Su sees some of this as interference and she is vocal when she disapproves.  Blake himself has not come from an easy background, growing up in a very poor area. He loves to help out youth from poor areas and help them to rise above and go places they never thought they could.

We also catch up with some other inhabitants of this small town and its a time when there are three babies due just before Christmas.  I love seeing into their lives as they live out their 'happily ever after'!  All is not going too well in the Sileski household, Seth's parents are still not getting on and one of them is threatening divorce.

I loved this book as much as the others, once I started reading I was pretty much engrossed and immersed again in the lives of these people. The romance is low key and beautiful, it is part of the package but doesn't provide the whole focus. If you like that, then you'll enjoy this, if you like romance to be more to the front, maybe this book isn't for you.

I thought perhaps events at the end were too quickly wrapped up.  Personally I thought the new arrivals in various forms could have  made a very nice Christmas novella!

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A New Hope. Robyn Carr

A New Hope
Robyn Carr
Published: Harlequin
Date: 30th June 2015
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 336
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley


A New Hope is #8 in the Thunder Point series.  It takes up the story of Ginger Dysart, who has been staying with Ray Ann and healing from a broken marriage and losing a child.  She has found a job working for Grace in the local florist shop.

The book opens at the Lacoumette farm where the wedding of Scott and Payton is taking place.  One of Payton's brothers - Matt, makes a nuisance of himself with Ginger and she floors him! He too is recovering from a broken marriage and something else which has led him to not being his usual self.  When he realises what he has done he seeks out Ginger at Thunder Point and apologises.  And the romance develops from there.

Ginger is a wonderful character, she has grown through her grief and her eyes are wide open.  She is learning to be direct and speak her mind. Loved that about her.  She still is dealing with her ex as well as the anger that Matt is carrying, and she is not prepared to just put up with it. Matt to give him his credit is a very likeable character, a little henpecked by his sister if he allowed it, and ready as time goes by to engage in a new relationship.  I thought Robyn Carr took an excellent line with this character, it was great to witness.  I won't give anything away because I don't want to spoil the journey for other readers.

While Ginger and Matt are the two main characters in focus, I love how we are given glimpses of some of the other characters.  Another marriage takes place, so continuing the story of two previous characters. I especially enjoyed Winnie's story (the mother of Grace who has come to live with her) and her nurse Lin Su and her son Charlie. The next book is going to track their story and I just can't wait because I just know its going to be good.

I so love these stories because they are more than romance.  They include a wide range of characters, young and old, each with a story and challenges of their own.  The books have substance.

Never Too Late. Robyn Carr

Never Too Late
Robyn Carr
Published: Mira
Date: March 31st 2015. 1st published 2006
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 400
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: Little Bird Publicity via NetGalley

Clare Wilson is starting over. She's had it with her marriage to a charming serial cheater. Even her own son thinks she's given his father too many chances. With the support of her sisters, Maggie and Sarah, she's ready to move on. Facing her fortieth birthday, Clare is finally feeling the rush of unadulterated freedom.

But when a near-fatal car accident lands Clare in the hospital, her life takes another detour. While recovering, Clare realizes she has the power to choose her life's path. The wonderful younger police officer who witnessed her crash is over the moon for her. A man from her past stirs up long-buried feelings. Even her ex is pining for her. With enthusiasm and a little envy, her sisters watch her bloom.

Together, the sisters encourage each other to seek what they need to be happy. Along the way they all learn that it's never too late to begin again.

Never Too Late by Robyn Carr is the story of three sisters and second chances.  Clare the middle sister, has finally had it with her husband Roger,  he has cheated on her once too often.  In spite of repeated assurances that he is getting counselling nothing seems to change.  Sarah, the youngest, has let herself go and has thrown herself into her art and work.  Yet when she sees Clare with Sam, a young police officer - about ten years younger than Clare, something is triggered within her and she surprises both her sisters with her step back into the swing of life.

Maggie is the oldest of the sisters, she is happily married, with two daughters.  She is a successful lawyer, attractive and intelligent - like her sisters.  Yet there is one part of her life that she is not happy with, and seeing her sisters obviously becoming 'lucky', she pushes for what would completely make her happy.  Could it be a simple solution - perhaps!

As well as having Sam's attention, Clare is also reconnecting with an old friend - Pete.  Pete is the brother of Clare's first love, but unfortunately he died young.  Pete and Clare have a history though, and its one Clare is determined to face and deal with.  

I liked this book because of the challenges it threw up to the characters and the way they responded. It wasn't only the women who grew and developed.  The men too, had their chance and on the whole took those small steps where it counted.  Roger lost his wife because of his inability to be faithful, however he is strongly motivated to be a good father to Jason their son.  Will he be successful?  Can Sam recognise who he really loves?  Will Maggie's husband recognise her distress and will he step up to the plate?

There is a strong sense of family and the support a good family gives when someone is in difficulty in Never Too Late.  In life we all make mistakes, and the support of family often get us through them. Issues of parenting are explored on a wide variety of fronts.  Strong, honest communication is a stand out point in the book and I believe was a factor in a variety of issues being successfully dealt with.  

Another wonderful Robyn Carr book, I read this book five years ago!  To be honest I remembered very little of it, so it was a very enjoyable read. It makes me wonder whether I should pick up more books on my keeper shelf and reread them!